This is THE Christmas movie — thank you so much for reminding me of the dialogue (but nothing I think from Clarance….?). For me the moral of the story is that people who live quiet, ordered lives make a difference: that what they do has worth…not so much having friends, but being a friend. Took our lads to see it at the cinema when they were young teenagers and far too cool to like something that didn’t have Acid House or super heroes in it. But wanted them to remember watching it properly – not drifting in and watching for five minutes when it was on television. Now they thank me (I like to think).
When I was in Chicago I’m sure I was told that a TV station broadcast A Wonderful Life back to back throughout Christmas Eve so every single person had a chance to see it. Could that be true?